


Of Assassins and Their Sons

by jrdexex



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-26 10:04:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14399826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jrdexex/pseuds/jrdexex
Summary: Many historians have forgotten or ignored interesting aspects and relationships about Shepherd's human life, in favor of focusing on her post-human existence and the resulting changes in the galactic balance of power. This document contains new aspects and primary research about Commander Shepherd's human and post-human relationship with Kolyat Krios, the son of her romantic liaison with Thane Krios.





	1. Games

**On the Relationship between Commander R. Shepherd and K. Krios**

by Annette Crow

The University of Montreal, E-Net 2 Publishing Company, Copyright 2271

 

* * *

 

Foreward

I know I appreciate clarity and conciseness when I am reading an academic document, so I hope to keep this forward short. I know that my reader is not reading this for my voice, but to learn about Commander Shepherd, so I will keep my commentary to a minimum. I wanted to thank everyone who helped me produce this short book. A special thanks to  Professor T'soni, from the Citadel University, who was kind enough to help me get in touch with Kolyat Krios. Without him, this book would not exist. May he rest in peace.

Please enjoy.

* * *

 

**March 2186**

Email Correspondence between Kolyat Krios and Commander R. Shepherd as edited by JR. Dexex, a censor of the Alliance. Decrypted by Kolyat Krios.

Censored materials are shown in a  ~~strikethrough.~~

 

To: Kolyat Krios

From: R. Shepherd

Re: Is this you?

I hope this is the right address. Please confirm. This is ~~Commander~~ Shepherd.

To: ~~Commander~~ Shepherd (1)

From: Kolyat Krios

Re: Is this you?

This is Kolyat Krios. This is ~~Commander~~ Shepherd, correct?

For your information, ~~Commander~~ , someone else has hacked into your message. (2)

Kolyat

To: Kolyat Krios

From: R. Shepherd

Re: Yes

It is really me. I am confined to an Alliance starship for the time being because of my association with Cerberus. Thane has not responded to my messages, and I suspect that they are being intercepted. I'm surprised this message has reached you.

Shepherd.

To: R. Shepherd

From: Kolyat Krios

Re: Sorry to hear

My father is as well as he can be expected. He wonders how you are, and adds that I am doing well with my community service.

In reality, I am bored out of my mind. I have been forced to work on trash collecting for my community service. He says that the faster I am done with my hours, the faster I can do anything else. It doesn't make much sense, (I can't make time go any faster, whether I work hard or not) but his general idea is that I should have a good attitude, and my perception of time will change. I am working with a human who was caught doing graffiti. He seems very interested in you and says hello. His name is Kevin. He's annoying, but it is better than doing it alone. 

I hope you are doing something more of interest. I don't suppose it is possible for us to visit you in prison, given the location is blocked, and probably moving.

Kolyat

To: Kolyat "The only one who replies" Krios

From: Definitely Not Bitter-Shepherd

Re: Unfortunately, no.

I would very much appreciate a visit from you two. I have been stuck on this ship for far too long. I asked if you could visit but apparently, this is not allowed, especially from..."Cerberus contacts." Apparently, talking to you is as loose with the protocol as they can allow.

Since you asked, my time is consumed with working out, reading, and trying to convince an annoyingly unreachable council about the imminent invasion of the Reapers. I'm sure you will be surprised when I tell you that it is almost as productive and as engaging as banging my head against the wall. I'm starting to hate politicians...Even more than usual.  ~~(Fuck you, by the way, reader.)~~

The most interesting development in my life is that my shot's improved by 2.8%, and I've finished every military strategy book I can get my hands on. I've almost memorized  _The Art of War._ Its one of the only readable strategy books that are on the pre-approved list of books that I'm allowed to read. Anything you or Thane recommend reading?

I think I can send you a live chess game if you or Thane want to play. No one is playing chess or poker against me anymore, either because they are "bored" or "tired of getting beaten".

I am getting stir crazy. You are the only one who is really replying to my emails, at the moment, Kolyat. It is probably because you are the only one in a similar position in being monitored and under the thumb of the Alliance.  Not to mention you are just as bored as I am. 

Shepherd.

To: My Father's Murderous Girlfriend

From: Kolyat Krios, a drell who does not want to learn a human game then lose every time he plays.

Re: You're right.

I'm sorry about the disastrous chess game. Five minutes until checkmate, I assume, is a record. My father played for me and is less than skilled at strategy, and gaming in general. Playing with you gave him a headache, and he took a nap immediately after. I do not think he will be playing again and I am not planning to learn how.

He has asked me to read this (File attachment: Amonkira's Heart), which may not prove of interest to you.

Personally, I would recommend reading the human book, _The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_. It is quite funny, and perhaps may lift your spirits, when I crush you at _Rachni 4: Invasion Inevitable_.  My username is KolKrios, and it is free to play. Challenge me to a match, Shepherd. If you win, I will play chess against you. I hope it does not get stuck going past your ridiculous censors. 

Kolyat

Hidden within the Amonkira's Heart Attachment, is this note.

_+I am about to go on a mission. I am not sure if I will return, and I will not be in contact with him and therefore you, but it is something that must be done. Forgive me as I am no writer-- but it is goodbye for now._

_+Please stay in contact with my son, Siha, it brightens his spirits. T.K._

(3)

To: Shepherd

From: Kolyat

Re: This is insane

I hate you, and Fine.

You. Win. Chess at 18:30. 

Kolyat

Footnotes

(1) In the Net-4 messaging system, people's usernames could also have nicknames that were only visible to the person they were messaging. For a more detailed and technical explaination as to how this works, read Ja-Marven's _Coding in Net-4._ It is available at any Mr. Book near you, or on their net-accessible site, Mr.Book@CITADEL.store

(2) This email was originally longer, however, I have edited it to that. Kolyat describes how he decoded Shepherd's message in detail. For interest and focus, this was cut. Ja-Marven's book _Coding in Net-4,_ also explains how this works in Chapter 6.

(3) Several emails that plan out their game, and discuss the pre-approved book list were omitted.


	2. Fights

Archived Private Message Chat of X=X NetGame Server 74231009-B

Retrieved 2270 by Angel Oma

KolKrios: hey, you're on.

bangingurdad: ya

KolKrios: your name..

bangingurdad has left the chat!

_In my interview with Kolyat, he shares some of his memories of that event with me. I have rewritten it somewhat, for clarity. Future sections of this paper will be in the same format. A full transcript of my interview is included in a separate document. These are all of his personal views on real people, and I have not embellished or altered it in any way. Please do not sue me.  
_

Kolyat Krios sighs in relief as the eyesore of a chat name disappears from the in-game chat. Thankfully, he wasn't getting his ass kicked by Shepherd like that disastrous game of chess. And besides, Kolyat didn't need any reminders of his (ever troublesome) father. He hopes that their fight was not the last thing they ever talked about. He shuts his eyes for a moment and remembers.

"You're leaving. Again." Kolyat deadpans, staring in shock at his father.

"..yes." His father said, looking away, black eyes clearly guilty. Kolyat could feel the blood rushing to his head as the drell's normally flattened head crests flare in anger, out like green rays of the sun. It isn't a thing Shepherd's ever seen from the normally collected (or sad) Thane. (1)

"Why?" He demands, voice dropping to a grating hiss. His father gives no answer within the millisecond that Kolyat gives him to respond. Kolyat, in his anger, decides to fill in the blanks. "You finally can talk to Shepherd, and you're living with me again. And just like this, you just are leaving?" He ends his frustrated rant with a guttural hiss, "Sssschlskkar-avm-orin-kaaaw!l" (2)

 _Thane's running off to go play Archangel to save some children. Excuses, he's such a coward._ Kolyat returns to Asari to continue yelling. Neither of his parents had been there long enough to help make his Drell anything more fluent.

"You're going to die soon and you want to spend your time just by your self! No, worse, murdering some more people-- you claim to feel so badly about-- oh yes, something I should never do!" "No one else knows--" "Call your friends! You know, the ones you made on the Normandy? Maybe call the Alliance instead of trying to fucking--fucking--" Kolyat's yelling, and he doesn't want to stop.

Human Commander Bailey taught him that venting instead of acting was more healthy. Kolyat's voice breaks. He can't finish that sentence without something inside him breaking. Thane's face is unreadable, and he's almost gone when Kolyat looks at him again. "You're such!" Kolyat's voice cracks, then yells with an almost sob at the end, "A FUCKING COWARD!" Kolyat slams the door behind Thane's back.

Kolyat cringes, looking back at the screen. Thane seemed to always bring out the worst in him. He was just so mild, played so innocent. He glances at the copy of _Amonkira's Heart_ that Thane had given him. Thane really thought that the idea that he wasn't responsible for his murders was true? Kolyat didn't believe that. Commander Bailey was right. Everyone was responsible for their actions, and musty old religions weren't any sort of excuse for murder. Still, it made Thane happy that Kolyat was finally looking into Drell religion, and that, in a very twisted way, made Kolyat happy. Even after all this time, he still wanted Thane to be proud of him. He wanted the person who abandoned him as a child, and now again, to love him.

It felt so strange, casually gaming with the human legend who..in her own words, "banged his dad." The thought of that made him internally cringe, and yet one who was, oddly enough, his friend. It wasn't anything sexual. He didn't particularly see the sexual appeal of humans, either they were one or another shade of toast (burnt or undercooked, both were equally unappealing). It reminded him of what his racist grandfather said, that humans were "miscolored asari knockoffs who reproduce like rabbits and die just as fast."

It makes him smile a little, reminiscing about what he knew of humans. His first real relationship with one was with Shepherd. Their relationship may have only officially started when they started messaging when Shepherd was in prison, but they had interactions before that. Kolyat had certainly noticed when Shepherd had checked on his files and eavesdropped on a conversation about him between Commander Bailey and Shepherd. Kolyat wasn't sure at the time, but he now could guess that it was his father's influence that made her check on him. It was more interest than he would have guessed that she could spare, given her focus on saving the universe.

It made him feel appreciated and had helped with his second relationship with a human, another person who was with him in the community service taskforce. He was obsessed with Shepherd, and Kolyat actually knowing her, and her recognizing his existence had given them something to talk about on the endless trash collecting expeditions. Well, truthfully, the human talked Kolyat's ear off, but it was friendly, and that's mostly what Kolyat needed, a distraction, just like this game of Invasion Inevitable. (3)

_We were unable to retrieve the exact gameplay of their game, and Kolyat tells me that it is too embarrassing to tell me the exact details. He does let me know about the aftermath._

KolKrios: this was your first game?

RShep: ..maybe not

KolKrios: how long have you been practicing

RShep: a few days... 

RShep: lol u succccccccc (5)

KolKrios: how man y hours straight sep

KolKrios: *Shep

RShep: lots, but you've had more experience anyway, so you don't really have an excuse

KolKrios: actually.. kinda having a bad day. :/

RShep: sup?? some trash getcha?

KolKrios: you could say that

RShep: listenign

KolKrios: *listening

RShep: wowoowow (7)

KolKrios: you? hows it going in not-prison

RShep: snek, its boring as per usual. i just out wrestled vega tho so that was fun. he's huge lol

RShep: don't change the subject sad drell boyo

KolKrios: your diction is impressive, as always Commander

RShep: srs dude spill

KolKrios: dad's gone to go save some kids.

RShep: u worried?

Kolkrios: yeah. we got into a big fight.

RShep: damn. sorry.

KolKrios: ja, well. just have to hope he comes back.

RShep: another game-2/3 so no chess

KolKrios: I guess

RShep: he's a professional, kol, don't worry.

KolKrios: he's getting worse. he shouldn't be doing anything!

KolKrios: hes so!! ugh, like he should let the people in charge risk their necks for that stuff.

KolKrios: i get it, he wants to do something good. but good things aren't always murdering bad guys! good things can be spending time with PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT YOU!!!!!! THAT, YOU KNOW,

KolKrios: i'm just.. whatever

KolKrios: just, shep, how did you

KolKrios: agh, that's awkward. nvm, here, another game. I just want to not think about this.

RShep: i feel.

RShep and KolKrios have left the chat!

* * *

 

Kolyat stares at the "You were killed by RShep!" screen in disbelief, logs out, and Face-Chats Shepherd. (6)

"What the actual fucking hell?" He throws his hands up in the air. His crests aren't flaring, but it looks like he's sulking in an exaggerated rage. 

Shepherd half-smirks.

"Are you _actually_ a genius or something? I mean, I took that to be a ridiculously overstated humble brag, you know about the 'I memorized the Art of War; I win at every game of chess and poker that I play'" He stares at her suspiciously.

"..technically, yes." She looks away from the screen in what he takes to be a coy false modesty.

"What the FUCK. SHEP. THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING YOU TELL A GUY WHO THINK'S HE'S GETTING A FAIR FIGHt!!" (7)

"I'm not a super genius or anything. I have below average memory." Shepherd's amused. Kolyat speculates that she was trying to distract him from his worries about his father, and by making him mad, she had succeeded spectacularly.

"I have to write EVERYTHING, I mean EVERYTHING down." Shepherd says in a rather fake 'placating' tone.

"..What a trouuuublee... EVERYONE AND I MEAN EVERYONE HAS TO DO THAT!!" Kolyat's feeling clearly not placated.

Shepherd's burst into hysterical laughter, and Kolyat yells, "STOP LAUGHING!" His mouth's twitching in an attempt not to smile.

She doesn't and Kolyat eventually joins in. After they both recover, Kolyat asks her if she has to go.

"..I've got an open schedule until the reapers decide to kill us all or the council decides to get off their asses and make use of me. Probably in that order." Shepherd sounds unexpectedly bitter.

"Its got to really suck being you, huh.. so much talent," Kolyat says slyly.

"So much talent and zero political clout. Heh. It's not like you're not talented, Kolyat. You can actually see an end to trash collecting." Shepherd puts her hand on her chin and sighs.

"I guess you can't seem to see the end of the _shit_ the council decides to make you clean up." He's smirking now.

"You're definitely not wrong there. Just add Cerberus and a few Reapers who want to kill me and you've got half my life."

"Huh?" Kolyat tilts his head.

"You know, bringing me back to life. I'm not so sure what I remember before that really counts. Damn if Kaiden didn't think so."

"....uh.."

"I'll stop talking about my existential crisis now." Shepherd awkwardly laughs.

"No, just. Feel free. I'm here." Kolyat leans back in his chair.

"What time is it...? Do you have anything soon?" She asks politely.

"...not really, and you don't want to know what time it is." Kolyat sips from his N0-R-Gi drink. "You can tell your stepson Kol everything."

Shepherd facepalms and Kolyat's left with a black screen.

Footnotes

(1) It is seen by drells as extremely rude to show off their emotions physically by extending their head crests, especially in other species company. This is according to Kolyat, and not written about within any of the Drell Culture and History books that I have read.

(2) This Drell phrase translates roughly to "Pointy-Bug Vulture", which in this context would mean something like, "You are as crazy and dumb as a fucking pointy-tailed, bug-eyed vulture." This is a mid-tier insult, according to Farrell's seven levels of insults.

(3) Rachni 4: Invasion Inevitable was an MMORPG of the time. It is currently offline and unavailable to play. It was famous for being one of the worst online games of the time, with terrible graphics, difficult controls, and a toxic community. Kolyat says that he played because it was free and he was talented at it. Apparently it was, "A guilty pleasure, and something that pissed Thane off. What can I say," He chuckled, "Before I was a priest, I was a bit of a rebel." I said that he's a nerd. 

(4) This is where he inserted a GIF of an angry Krogan throwing something, which does not translate well to this document. GIFS were an obsolete form of media even when Kolyat sent one to Shepherd, and he says that he thinks it took her a while before she could open it. The joke was that she would feel the same as the angry krogan before she was able to see what the GIF was. For more information about GIFS, please contact Mara Jade, of the early 21st century human communications department at the Paris University.

(5) Dr. Tennyson at Montreal University is a good resource for learning about late 2100s slang and emoticons. However, most of this back and forth between Shepherd and Kolyat is fairly simple. 

(6) Face-Chat is the same service that is popular today, although the exact version Kolyat used was version three, which was very different.

(7) Kolyat adds that although one cannot see it in the video, his one of his keys on his keyboard is broken, as he has thrown it down in an act of, I quote, "ragequit".


End file.
